Developed by Arkane Studios, the creators of Dishonored, Prey shares a similar heritage, even if the genes it expresses are different. Where Dishonored went back to the Thief series for inspiration, Prey takes its cues from the legendary development house Looking Glass’ other child — System Shock.
The result is a systems-driven adventure, one where levels are marginalized, supplanted instead by a believable, interconnected space station beset by an otherworldly force. When Prey seems the most at the whim of “modern” first-person game ideas, it struggles to make the best case for itself. But when Prey opens up enough to ask questions without easy answers, and to let you unravel its mysteries, it’s something much less common — and much more successful.